[autotag]Dricus Du Plessis[/autotag] retained his middleweight title in a back-and-forth war with former champion Israel Adesanya in the UFC 305 main event.
The middleweight title headliner at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, was filled with intense moments. However, in Round 4, Du Plessis (22-2 MMA, 8-0 UFC) found his way onto the back of Adesanya (24-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC) to force a tap from a rear-naked choke at 3:38.
In his first fight of the year, Adesanya returned to action, attempting to reclaim the middleweight title he lost to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 last September. To his credit, the time off for Adesanya looked to pay dividends early, as he was sharp offensively and defensively.
Du Plessis varied his attacks with high and low kicks and also threatened with his wrestling game, which would eventually be the determining factor. Adesanya countered well and dug in a few hard shots to the body as he mixed up the target of his punches throughout the fight.
In the second round, Du Plessis went to the grappling game early, taking the back of Adesanya. He slapped on a rear naked choke but got too high, and Adesanya reversed. They returned to the feet where Adesanya put together a few sharp combinations before Du Plessis dropped down for a single leg and wrestled until the horn.
Sharp striking was on display from Adesanya early in Round 3, forcing Du Plessis to defend multiple attacks. Adesanya was equally sharp defensively, countering with a well-timed spinning back elbow. However, things changed when Du Plessis snuck in a stiff left hand that stunned Adesanya, opening up back-and-forth exchanges as he turned up the pressure.
Adesanya was having success on the feet early in Round 4, but then Du Plessis clipped him with a left hook and charged forward into a takedown. Du Plessis scrambled to the back, and slapped on the choke that ended the fight.
DDP SUBMITS ADESANYA IN ROUND 4 😳 #UFC305 pic.twitter.com/SY93EvS1ew
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 18, 2024
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After a heated build, both fighters showered one another with praise and respect, effectively exiting the cage on a good note.
Du Plessis said he didn’t have a preference for his next opponent, as his only goal would be to hear “and still” again.
Adesanya took his gloves off in the cage, leading some to believe he was signaling his retirement. However, he ended his post-fight interview straightforwardly: “I’m not f*cking leaving.”
Du Plessis improves to 8-0 in the UFC as he records the first defense of his middleweight title, which he won by defeating Strickland at UFC 297 in January.
Adesanya walks away as a loser of two straight bouts for the first time in his MMA career. His last win was a knockout of current light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira at UFC 287 last April.
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Full UFC 305 results include:
- Dricus Du Plessis def. Israel Adesanya via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 4, 3:38
- Kai Kara-France def. Steve Erceg via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 4:04
- Dan Hooker def. Mateusz Gamrot via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
- Jairzinho Rozenstruik def. Tai Tuivasa via split decision (29-28, 27-30, 30-27)
- Carlos Prates def. Li Jingliang via knockout (punch) – Round 2, 4:05
- Valter Walker def. Junior Tafa via technical submission (heel hook) – Round 1, 4:56
- Ricardo Ramos def. Josh Culibao via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
- Casey O’Neill def. Luana Santos via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
- Jack Jenkins def. Herbert Burns via TKO (referee stoppage) – Round 3, 0:48
- Tom Nolan def. Alex Reyes via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
- Song Kenan def. Ricky Glenn via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 29-28)
- Jesus Aguilar def. Stewart Nicoll via technical submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 2:39
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 305.